“Not at all.” Blake surmised by the way Alex handled the horse, she knew what she was doing.
With a subtle pressure from her knees and a slight lean forward, Romeo took off down the driveway toward the road.
“My stars, Blake, you’ve probably killed her letting her ride off on that monster of yours.” Ginny clasped his arm and stared after Alex with a worried expression on her face.
“I highly doubt that, love. Alex is capable of handling Romeo. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s quite smitten.”
Annoyed by Blake’s words, Arlan stiffened. Uncomfortable pangs of jealousy pierced him. Clearly, Alex was better at handling a horse than he ever hoped to be. He also didn’t like the idea of anyone being smitten with her, even the great equine beast of Blake’s.
Peeved, he awaited her return. He watched as she appeared down the road, galloping the stallion up the drive like some wild gypsy with her hair trailing behind her and a look of pure joy on her face. She reined him to a halt a few feet away from where they stood. The horse shook his mane and tossed his head, looking for all the word as if he smiled.
“What do you think?” Blake asked as Alex jumped off the horse and patted Romeo’s thick neck.
As she handed Blake the reins, she grinned and pushed her tousled hair out of her face. “You better lock the barn door or this sweet boy just might disappear on you.”
Blake grinned at Alex’s teasing. “Romeo would balk at pulling a wagon, even one as fancy as yours.”
“Oh, I would never subject him to such a thing, but don’t tell Bill I said that.”
Ginny and Blake laughed while Arlan stared at her tight-lipped. Alex cast him a questioning glance, but accepted Ginny’s hand when she held it out to her and invited her inside the house.
Arlan watched the two women hurry inside through the front door while Blake walked the stallion around the yard, cooling him off.
“Do you want to give Romeo a try?” Blake asked, noticing the stony look on Arlan’s face.
“No. I wouldn’t handle him half as well as Miss Janowski and to be honest, your brute of a horse intimidates me. I’ll stick with Orion.”
Blake chuckled and led Romeo inside the barn. After giving him some attention, he left him in his stall and motioned for Arlan to follow him to his workshop.
As they stepped inside the door, the combined scents of wood and varnish greeted Arlan. Glancing around the large space, he took in the projects Blake worked on including several ornately carved side tables, chairs, and a few larger pieces of furniture.
A rocking horse in the center of the room caught his attention. As he drew near to it, he ran his hand over the smooth wood, admiring the whimsical flowers and butterflies carved into the mane.
“I bet I can guess who this is for.” Arlan envisioned it sitting beneath Luke and Filly’s tree, a special gift for Maura.
“If your guess is for Maura, you’re wrong.” Blake grinned as he tipped the toy into motion and watched it balance on wooden rockers.
“If not Maura, then it must be Erin.” Arlan knew Blake, Ginny, Luke, and Filly all loved the pastor’s little girl. Although they weren’t related by blood, Erin referred to them all as her aunts and uncles.
“Right you are.” Blake ran his hand along the back of the horse. “I’ll make one for Maura when she’s old enough to enjoy it. Can’t you just hear the squeals of happiness when Erin finds this Christmas morning?”
The rocking horse would no doubt be the three-year-old’s favorite present. Arlan smiled as he pictured the lively child finding the surprise Christmas morning.
“Are you trying to usurp Luke as the favorite uncle?”
Blake grinned. “Who said he’s the favorite? All’s fair when trying to win the affections of a child.”
Arlan thumped Blake on the back. “Just remember that when I claim the title as Maura’s favorite.”
“I shall work doubly hard to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Blake joked. “She’s quite smitten with me, or at least as smitten as a tiny baby can be.” Discreetly studying Arlan, Blake raised an inquisitive eyebrow his direction. “Speaking of smitten, have you heard from Miss Edna lately?”
“Edna?”
Blake held back a smirk, pleased his friend appeared more interested in Alex than the former flighty schoolteacher. “Edna Bevins, the schoolteacher who set her cap for you and led you on a merry chase up until Alex arrived in town. The one you’ve been hesitant to court for almost a year.”
“Oh… Edna.” Arlan’s voice belied his disappointment in mentioning the woman. He’d received three letters from her since she left to care for her mother. The first expressed her regret in leaving and hinted at her hope they could continue their relationship when she returned. The second letter professed her continuing affection and led him to believe she hoped for a proposal of marriage upon her return to Hardman.
Her third letter clearly demanded some sort of promise from him for the security of her future. The note carried an underlying threat that if he didn’t make an offer for her hand posthaste, she’d turn her attentions elsewhere.
Upon reading that missive, he’d suffered from acute indigestion for days. The notion of marrying Edna no longer held the appeal he’d once enjoyed when pondering thoughts of his future.
At twenty-four, he was in no rush to wed, but liked the idea of a wife. Originally, he deemed Edna a good choice for an agreeable, obliging spouse, but the more he became acquainted with her, the less capable she seemed of filling the role.
In addition, thoughts of marrying Edna did more than make his stomach sour. It made his head pound with frustration, longing for someone more energizing and enticing.
No longer content to contemplate a wife who would be agreeable and biddable, Arlan wanted someone exciting, who stirred his blood and engaged his senses. Someone full of life and mischief, like Hardman’s current resident magician.
That wasn’t completely true, either.
He didn’t want someone like her.
He wanted Alex Janowski, to be exact.
As the realization struck him, he experienced a moment of light-headedness and leaned against Blake’s worktable.
“Do you no longer have plans to court Miss Edna?” Blake asked, taking in Arlan’s thoughtful expression.
“Yes. No. I don’t…” Arlan sighed and stared at his boot-clad feet. “I’m not certain.”
Much to his surprise, Blake laughed and slapped him on the back. “Love and romance are trying to a man, aren’t they? You have two months before Edna returns. Anything can happen between now and then. You might meet a new girl and fall hopelessly in love. I’m sure she’d understand.”
Arlan raised his gaze to Blake’s, seeing the teasing in the man’s smile. “I’m not sure she would. I do believe Edna would accept that news with all the grace of a scalded cat.”
Blake bellowed with laughter then motioned for Arlan to look at a stack of drawings on the worktable.
“Maybe if you can help me figure out the calculations on this new piece, it will take your mind off a troublesome teacher and a marvelous magician.”
Ginny poured a cup of tea and set it on a fine china saucer before handing it to Alex. Although the Stratton house appeared simple from the outside, the inside was every bit as fancy as the parlor at Granger House.
Done in shades of deep burgundy with hints of gold, the sitting area boasted velvet covered furniture and some of Blake’s elaborately carved sidepieces.
After riding the horse, Alex feared to sit on the settee but Ginny assured her Blake sat on it all the time in his work clothes.
Elegantly sipping from the cup in her hand, Alex waited for Ginny to get around to telling her what she wanted to discuss. She didn’t have to wonder long before the woman set down her cup and focused a bright blue gaze her direction.
“Alex, as the schoolteacher, you may certainly do as you wish, but I thought it might be fun to have a Christmas Carnival the last day of school b
efore the holiday break. Each of the churches will have a Christmas program that includes the children, but something with a holiday flair that the whole community could attend would be such a lovely thing.”
As she considered Ginny’s suggestion, Alex gave her an encouraging smile. “Go on. What do you have in mind?” If she’d learned anything about her new friends, Alex knew Ginny continually had plans whirling around in her head. Fortunately, the girl didn’t act on most of them.
“What if we have games and contests with prizes? Perhaps we could have a cakewalk or a pie auction. The big finale could center on Alex the Amazing’s Phantasmagorical Magic Show.”
Alex laughed and grinned at Ginny. “You’ve been listening to your brother, haven’t you? I’ve never seen anyone who enjoys saying that particular word as much as Luke.”
Ginny offered her a sassy smile. “It is a fun word to say. Would you be willing to go along with the carnival?”
“I suppose we could make it work, but the children should get involved in some helpful way. Perhaps we could have a fundraiser to benefit a local charity. Is there any particular charity you can think of that could benefit from a Christmas donation?”
Ginny thoughtfully tapped a finger to her chin. “There’s a widow’s fund. That might be a good cause, especially right before Christmas. Any number of charities exists, but that one seems the most appropriate.”
“Very well.” Alex sipped her tea as ideas began forming in her head. “What if we have the children make something they could sell or auction and have the funds earned go toward the charity.”
“That’s a splendid idea. They could do artwork, or woodwork, or sewing, and we could auction everything that afternoon.” Ginny clapped her hands together with enthusiasm.
Alex shook her head at the tiny blonde fireball. “My only concern would be a place to hold it. The school isn’t big enough for a community event, even if we shove all the desks aside. It’s far too cold to hold it outside.”
“We could have it here, in Blake’s workshop. It’s big enough to hold everyone and he has a stove out there so it would be heated. There is the matter that it is a little distance from town, but I don’t think people would mind.”
“If Blake agrees, it’s fine with me.”
“If I agree to what?” Blake asked as he stepped inside followed by Arlan.
Alex let her eyes linger on the solemn banker for an indulgent moment. He stood several inches taller than Blake, and looked entirely appealing as he removed his coat and hung it with his hat by the door.
Strong and capable, she liked the way he filled out his work pants and flannel shirt even more than the immaculate suits he so often wore. If he tied a bandana around his neck and wore a gun holster at his hip, he could pass for a cowboy or outlaw, especially with a stubbly growth of whiskers covering his normally smooth-shaven cheeks.
Fascinated, she found it hard to pull her attention from him and speak when Ginny urged her to confirm the details of their plans with Blake.
“I’m more than happy to host it here, but it might work better for everyone if we could hold it in town.”
“We discussed that, Blake, but there isn’t a building big enough to host everything indoors.” Ginny squeezed her husband’s hand.
Blake grinned at her. “There’s a splendid brand-new building sitting empty and unused.”
Ginny clapped her hands together. “Of course, Dad and Mother’s house would be perfect. It’s in the middle of town. Since they haven’t moved in yet, the rooms are all empty and would provide plenty of space for games and activities.”
“I wouldn’t want anything to happen in their new home.” Alex had yet to meet Dora and Greg Granger, but Luke and Filly showed her the mansion they’d recently built. Impressive and expansive, it would be an ideal location for the carnival.
“I’ll send a telegram to Dad and see what he thinks.” Ginny excitedly kissed Blake’s cheek. “Thank you for a brilliant solution, kind sir. We can set up games in all the different rooms and the ballroom upstairs would be perfect for the magic show.”
“I hope your parents will agree to let us use it.” Alex worried the Grangers would be less than open to the idea.
“Oh, this is so exciting! We’ll raise money for the widows, give the children a fun day, and we’ll all get to see Alex perform!” Ginny gushed as she bounced with excitement on her seat.
Alex glanced at Arlan and noticed a lingering sadness in his gaze. They both knew once the school term ended for the holidays, she’d pack her wagon and leave town for good.
Not wanting to spoil the day with their friends, she willed her thoughts from leaving to discussing plans for the Christmas Carnival with Blake and Ginny.
Chapter Eight
With her gaze and thoughts lost to the glorious autumn afternoon outside, Alex didn’t hear one of the students call her name. Out of the corner of her eye, a frantically waving hand caught her attention. She excused one of Anna Jenkins’ little brothers to the outhouse.
A glance around the classroom confirmed her students appeared as wistful as she felt to be outside enjoying the warm sunshine instead of inside sitting at a desk.
As soon as little Milo returned, she stood and smiled at the class.
“I’d like everyone to stop what you’re working on. Please pick up your slates and follow me.”
The students did as she asked and followed her outside into the idyllic autumn weather.
Alex stopped and turned her face up to the sun, enjoying the welcome heat it provided.
“It’s far too nice a day to be cooped up inside, so I propose we talk a nature walk and study a lesson outside this afternoon.”
“That’s just plain dumb.” Fred leaned against the railing of the schoolhouse steps, glowering at Alex. The boy had gone from annoying to nearly intolerable since the mishap with the water, but she largely chose to ignore him. His mother continued to stir up trouble without much success. Most of the parents were grateful to have a teacher who engaged their children and challenged their minds, making them anxious to learn.
The majority of the residents of Hardman held Alex in some sort of awed regard, anticipating their next opportunity to witness her perform a magic trick. No one, except for Fred and his mother, wanted Alex to leave town anytime soon.
“What if someone comes looking for us?” Percy Bruner asked, gazing up at Alex.
“That’s a good point, young man. We’ll leave a note on the blackboard. How would that be?”
Percy nodded his head and Alex hurried back inside. Hastily writing a note explaining their absence on the blackboard, she dusted off her hands and rushed down the steps.
She took the hands of the two youngest students in hers then did a quick head count, noticing Fred’s absence. Determined not to let him spoil the adventure, she started in the direction of the tree line several hundred yards behind the school.
As they walked, she talked about what made the trees turn colors in the fall, what the frost did to the ground, and pointed to a squirrel chattering in a tree.
A few stumps near a grove of trees served as makeshift seats. Alex sat down and asked the children to write a paragraph describing autumn. For the younger students, she asked them to list three words that made them think of fall.
After giving the class ample time to complete the assignment, she asked for volunteers to read their essays. Anna Jenkins raised her hand.
Alex smiled and motioned for the girl to stand at her side. She wrapped a hand around Anna’s shoulders and listened as the child described all the good things there were to eat in the autumn after harvest.
“Excellent, Anna. Good job.” Alex praised the girl then asked for another volunteer. Tom Grove finally stepped forward and cleared his throat.
Hesitantly, he read his essay. “Autumn is the whoosh of goose wings in the air as they call to one another, ‘hurry before snow coats our feathers.’ Autumn is the juicy bite of a crimson-skinned apple, sweet and tart and full
of the lingering fragments of summer sunshine. Autumn is every brilliant hue of color, rich and vivid, captured beneath our feet as leaves crunch into the frosty ground. Autumn is the time of Mother Earth catching her breath and releasing a contented sigh before winter cloaks the world in stillness.”
Shocked by Tom’s eloquent description, Alex jumped to her feet and gave him a hug. “Oh, Tom. That was marvelous. Absolutely marvelous.”
The boy’s face turned a shade of red similar to the apple he described. Although he ducked his head, she could tell he was pleased.
“May I keep your slate? I’d very much like to transfer the words to paper before you erase it.”
Tom nodded his head and rejoined John and Ralph at the back of the group.
An unmistakable contemptuous grunt floated from behind one of the nearby trees, revealing the fact that Fred tagged along.
“Fred, you might as well stop skulking about and join us.”
The boy shuffled from behind a tree with his hands shoved into his pockets. He stayed at the back of the group and gave Tom a nasty glare.
“Students, please leave your slates here with me. I’ll grade them while you all go see who can find the most spectacular leaf. When you return, we’ll pick a winner.”
“What does the winner get?” Percy asked as he set his slate on the stump beside Alex.
“A surprise.” Alex grinned and glanced at the watch she wore pinned to the bodice of her dress.
“Ready. Set. Go!”
The children took off running in all directions, laughing and giggling. She could hear them calling to each other and the girls exclaiming over having found the “most prettiest leaf in the world.”
Smiling, she read each student’s thoughts on autumn before checking her watch again.
“Okay, everyone, time to come back.”
As the students rushed out of the trees, they gathered around her, showing off the leaves they’d found. Some brought a handful while others cradled one they deemed perfect.
The Christmas Calamity Page 8
